Executive Office of the President

New Partnerships and Programs to Promote Women and Girls in , , and (STEM)

White House “Girls in STEM” Video Released

April 24, 2012

Since taking office, President Obama has worked to bring together government, businesses, and advocacy organizations to inspire students to excel in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)—particularly those students who are typically underrepresented in these fields. He understands that addressing the low participation rate of women and girls in math-intensive fields like and engineering expands their career horizons and strengthens our economy as our Nation benefits from their talent, energy, and skill. Building on the President’s commitment to help engage, support, and elevate women and girls in STEM disciplines, the White House Council on Women and Girls today released a video highlighting some of the impressive young women scientists and engineers who participated in the 2012 White House Science Fair. The Council today is also hosting a panel of trail-blazing women in STEM fields, moderated by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, to encourage girls to pursue careers in these secure, well-paid, high-growth fields. Inspired by the President’s “all-hands-on deck” call to action, a number of private-sector partners have joined with the Administration today to announce a number of exciting new commitments to expand STEM learning opportunities for girls and inspire their interest in these fields through exposure to role models and mentors. National Aeronautics and Space Administration launches NASA G.I.R.L.S. online mentoring program: Continuing its efforts to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), through Women@NASA, has created a mentoring project—NASA Giving Initiative and Relevance to Learning Science (G.I.R.L.S.)—to offer middle-school girls one-on-one mentoring from women working at the agency. Participants will complete online lessons in STEM fields with their mentors via virtual connection. Applicants must be U.S. citizens in grades 5-8 or home-school equivalent and do not need to be near a NASA center to participate. The mentoring project will take place over a five-week period during the summer, with an application period of May 1-June 15, 2012. It is Women@NASA’s intent to show young girls that STEM fields can be a relevant way for them to make a real difference in the world. Moreover, Women@NASA aims to inspire these girls to continue studying math and science and build the skills necessary for a future career in STEM. For more information and to register online, visit http://women.nasa.gov/nasa- g-i-r-l-s/. Girls Inc. announces more than $500,000 in private-sector investments to expand STEM programs for girls across the country: Merck and Girls Inc. are partnering in support of Girls Inc. Eureka!, an intensive, five-year program that engages underserved girls in hands-on STEM

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Executive Office of the President experiences in a college campus environment, greatly expanding their opportunities for post- secondary education and rewarding careers. A $364,000 grant over two years from The Merck Company Foundation will support the Eureka! expansion nationally and provide for program implementation in Memphis, TN, where the local Girls Inc. affiliate and Merck employees are working together to begin the program this summer at the University of Memphis. Similarly, National Grid has recently committed $150,000 to expand its Northeast Regional STEM Partnership with Girls Inc. in 2012. This program supports summer STEM programming for girls at affiliates in Albany and Long Island in New York State and Worcester and Lynn in Massachusetts, while also supporting the national rollout of the Eureka! program. http://www.girlsinc.org/about/programs/eureka-goldman-sachs-gives.html The Entertainment Industries Council announces a new collaboration to change the image of Girls in STEM in the media: The Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC), an organization providing world-class creative resources to entertainment writers on key issues affecting society, has organized a collaboration to promote girls and , engineering, and technology careers. EIC—which also produces the unique Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Awards to recognize outstanding programming promoting these fields—will be joined by the following initial partners: the International 3D Society, Women in Film, and the Visual Effects Society. Together, they will work to mobilize a broad swath of the entertainment workforce to inspire girls and women to pursue technical careers within and beyond the entertainment industry. In the coming months and years, they will work together to host creative briefings for entertainment industry networks, studios, and production companies to inform them about the role of women and technology, engineering, and science. This work is made possible in part by Boeing’s renewed commitment to support EIC, and EIC looks forward to engaging other private partners to develop an innovative, creative, and diverse STEM workforce. http://www.eiconline.org

Girl Scouts and Mocha Moms launch a new initiative to increase the number of STEM volunteers: Girl Scouts of the USA and Mocha Moms, Inc., a national support network for moms of color, is announcing a new partnership to develop mutually beneficial projects and activities that will provide mentorship and adult volunteer support for IMAGINE Your STEM Future and other STEM programs as part of Mocha Moms’ "Closing the Gap in Minority Health, Prosperity and Achievement" community service initiative. The partnership will launch with select introductory Girl Scout Councils and geographically corresponding Mocha Moms Chapters with the goal of expanding to all 100 Mocha Moms chapters and 112 Girl Scout councils. Mocha Moms, Inc., volunteers will participate as facilitators, career speakers, and mentors.

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